The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

had fed them in the wilderness. In this case, however, it was not eaten; but the Lord
promises to the overcomer here that he shall eat of it. The hidden manna was the memorial
sample of what had fallen long before; from one viewpoint it is typically the abiding
remembrance of what we once tasted--the fresh reminder throughout eternity of Christ's
work for us here. To "eat of the hidden manna," therefore, would mean to partake of the
Divine, incorruptible, immortal life. In one sense it is a continuation of what we now
receive; hence we see how closely connected is the present with the life beyond. It is thus
that the promise of the hidden manna appeals most solemnly to us while here. It is the
way we live here that affects our reward there. The hidden manna and the white stone are
eternal recompenses of the present time. In other words, it is but the "meat" that faith lives
on now, that is, the "meat that endureth unto everlasting life." So that the spiritual
experiences of the present time are the beginnings of what will continue in the life beyond.
He who has fed of the antitypical manna in the wilderness and knows its taste, can feed of
the hidden manna in the future.
In concluding the comments on this message, we note the inseparable connection between
the two parts of the promise: The manna that fell in the wilderness speaks of our
apprehension of Christ--His ransom sacrifice for us, as also His power to keep us--now;
the hidden manna speaks of that Divine, immortal, incorruptible life, the reward of the
future. The white stone speaks of Christ's appreciation expressed in His approval of us,
both in the present life and in that which is to come. "The appreciation of Christ by us,
manifest in our bearing the fruit of the Spirit, is the necessary basis of His answering
approbation of us." The greatest reward we can possibly conceive of is to have now in this
present life, His approbation, His approval, and at the end of our course to hear His "Well
done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
Chapter 7: Rev. 2:18-29
Christ's Message to Thyatira
"And unto the angel of the Church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God,
who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and His feet are like fine brass."--Rev. 2:18.
The symbolic description embodied in the words: "These things saith the Son of God, who
hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire," seems to indicate very clearly the imminence of
approaching judgment and an arraignment of the Church of Thyatira--a judgment of the
most severe character. Considering this message from the prophetic standpoint, it is
generally and very properly applied to the period immediately following that of Pergamos,
which, as we have seen, was the age of worldly church history, when the professed
Church enjoyed the patronage of the professed, Christian emperors, from 303 to about 539
AD. We can readily see that by means of the doctrines of Nicolaitanism, or lordship over
the people, and Balaamism, or world affiliation, which characterized those times, all kinds
of corrupting elements were introduced, and the professed Church assumed another and
more evil phase; indeed, merged into complete apostasy. Richard Trench, a voluminous
writer on Bible topics, who is the author of a work entitled The Seven Epistles of Asia Minor,